Students raise money to aid quake victims

Students at Vancouver Christian High School are planning events to raise money for victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

The school will do some in-house activities, including pizza feeds for the student body on March 31 and April 14. Each grade level at Vancouver Christian will plan their own project, said Jim Sheppard, teacher and student council adviser.

The effort will include car washes by different groups at various locations. Times haven’t been determined, but people can look for signs over the next few weekends, Sheppard said.

Vancouver Christian is challenging other Christian schools in the Portland area and Southwest Washington to raise a total of $15,000.

The students also want to enlist local churches into the effort, Sheppard said.

People who would like to contribute can mail donations to Vancouver Christian High School, Japan Relief, P.O. Box 87625, Vancouver, WA 98687.

All money will be presented on April 15 to Medical Teams International. The Portland-based nonprofit relief agency is working with four partners in Japan to ensure that the money can provide food, water and blankets for the needy.

Medical Teams International won’t be using the money to send health care volunteers to the disaster sites.

“Japan requires in-country medical licensing,” said Joe DiCarlo, MTI’s director of international programs.